The best freelance designer alternative might just be right under your nose. The world is run by design. From the coffee mug, you drink every day to the gadgets in the palm of your hand. The same goes for design content in the business.

These days, the more unique, striking, and memorable the brand identity is–the easier you’ll get to reach your sales goals. What happens when you can’t keep up with the pressure to 

This year, don’t just stick to one way to get your graphic design needs to be met. You can explore hybrid approaches, more efficient ways of design collaboration, and a more systematized design pipeline. 

Freelance Designer Alternative 2024

The best graphic design alternatives to check out this 2024.

1. DIY Graphic Design Tools

As more and more businesses recognize the importance of graphic design, there are now a variety of DIY graphic design tools available. Some examples are Canva, Adobe Express, and PicMonkey. These tools are an easy-to-use interface and a wide range of templates that can help non-designers create professional-looking graphics.

While these platforms are a game-changer for some, it can be quite time-consuming to find the best templates and edit them to your liking. 

2. In-House Designers

 Companies can hire in-house designers as a freelance designer alternative. Employees can work on branding, marketing, and advertising campaigns on a full-time basis.

You won’t have to worry about things like time and availability. That being said though, in-house designers can be quite costly to some startups. Plus, when you need a variety of design work, you’d have to hire multiple people for the job. 

3. Graphic Design Studios

 Graphic design studios are a collective of designers who offer a wide range of design services, from branding and packaging to web design and social media graphics. These studios have a team of professional designers who can work on complex projects and provide a comprehensive service.

This team of professionals knows what they are doing, so expect high-quality work with smooth customer service. However, fees can add up when you work with design studios. 

4. Collaborative Design Platforms

 Some platforms like Designhill and Crowdspring allow clients to work with a community of designers, where they can request design ideas and choose the one they like best, and they only pay for the design that they select.

It’s a great alternative that gives you options without ever having to pay for a variety of designs. However, it still takes a while for you to get to the design you need. Plus, it’s not a desirable project pipeline as you’d have to screen through different applications when all you really need is a few. 

5. Design AI Tools

In recent years, several design AI tools have been developed to create custom designs for specific industries or businesses. These tools, such as Tailor Brands and Design Wizard, use machine learning to create logos, social media graphics, and other designs automatically.

It’s definitely one of the most accessible graphic design alternatives out there, but it can feel templated sometimes. There’s only so much you can do after you tweak the instructions, color, and type. 

6. Unlimited Graphic Design 

Ever wondered what it would be like if you had a gym membership…but for graphic design? This is what unlimited graphic design platforms do. You get unlimited access to designs for a flat fee every month. 

Most platforms allow you to select a design plan and from there you can access services like animations, custom illustrations, video editing, and landing page design. Their designers usually take 48 hours to complete tasks. It’s a fail-safe way to ensure you stay within budget and beat your deadlines. 

Read more: How Does Unlimited Graphic Design Work 

Factors to Consider

Not every design alternative is the same solution. You might find that one provides you with superb designs but takes too slowly and costs too much. To avoid design regrets here’s a list of factors you have to take in before you select the best fit for your project. 

Cost

Good design shouldn’t come at the expense of your operational costs. Only seek out services that fit within your budget. If a design house or individual is really impressive, then you adjust a bit. But don’t go lowballing top-notch designers either. It’s definitely a tough balancing act to find the best bang for your buck.

Design quality

The design quality is one of the indicators to know your investment is really worth it. The best designers or studios interpret your murky visual ideas into a well-organized set of design assets. Make sure you find services that can deliver the quality, aesthetic, and innovation that you’re looking for. One good way to gauge this is to take a swift glance at portfolios. 

Turnaround time

Most agencies need help with project deadlines. When it’s time to ask for help, it’s important that the help delivers. Most freelancers and studios are upfront about their turnaround times. Be sure to also check how long it takes for revisions to finish. Be aware of the design life cycle and how many drafts their designers can do. 

Design services

Depending on how big your brand is, you might need graphic design, video editing, and illustration services too. Remember: graphic design isn’t the end all be all of all designs. Most of the time, an animator can’t and shouldn’t do graphic design work. Reflect on the design assets you’d need first. 

Volume of designs

Finally, make sure you find services that can cope with your design project volume. If you plan to outsource projects, make sure you align your design volume to the actual capabilities of your design partner. 

Feeling pretty overwhelmed with your choices? This might help. 

Read more: Why an Unlimited Graphic Design Subscription is Your Best Option for Creative Work

Choosing the best service for your project means that you have to be clear on what your needs are. The better you understand the specific design assets you want, the easier it will be to select the most appropriate freelance designer alternative. 

DotYeti employs the top 5% of design talent to make sure your unlimited graphic design experience is worth your time and money. Book a demo with one of our co-founders today to learn more about this innovative design service.